


The Real Reason Why

by AngeliaDark



Series: The Papyton Journey of Love [2]
Category: Undertale
Genre: M/M, Mettaton is actually a cinnamon roll, Post-Pacifist Route, Protective Older Brother Sans, Sans finally gets a clue, papyton
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-13
Updated: 2016-01-13
Packaged: 2018-05-13 17:32:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5711035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngeliaDark/pseuds/AngeliaDark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to 'Some Things Better Left Alone'.  </p><p>Sans still hasn't come to terms with his brother's relationship with Mettaton, and still wonders about Mettaton's intentions toward Papyrus.  Mettaton tells Sans exactly how he feels about Papyrus, hoping to shed some light on the matter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Real Reason Why

Whether it was out of embarrassment or wanting to conceal the fact that he nearly had a nervous breakdown, Sans made himself scarce since Frisk's birthday party, spending his time either actually DOING work at work, or holing up in his room at home to try to sleep off that night like a bad hangover.

Upon deeper thinking, he found that it wasn't really the fact that Papyrus was in a physical relationship with Mettaton, it was more of the fact that he hadn't NOTICED. Or that Papyrus never TOLD him. Hell, Papyrus kept him informed of every little thing that ever went on in his life, from any mundane event of his day to the TMI details of puberty.

Nowadays, pretty much every major thing in Papyrus's life was revealed to him secondhand. Dating Mettaton, getting a promotion at work...it was...weird.

And sad.

It made him sad.

And Sans didn't know how to deal with THIS type of sadness...having Papyrus THERE, but still out of reach. Toriel told him the obvious news—that Papyrus had grown up and was living his own life. It happened. Sans just didn't think it would happen with HIM. He'd never really thought that far into the future.

It was silly to assume that things would never change, but it was still something that Sans was trying to, as Frisk told him, 'get over'.

A few days after the fact, Sans took a personal day off of work and stayed in the house, wanting to just take a day off from everything. Coincidentally, it turned out to be a day Papyrus was home free from work himself. Sans mentally steeled himself for the inevitability of Papyrus having errands to run, but surprisingly enough, he didn't. Papyrus didn't question why Sans was taking an off day, but rather instead suggested they have lunch and hang out.

It was a much-needed quality time, and Sans savored every moment of it. It was nearly sundown by the time they made it back home, and by that time, nothing could dampen Sans's spirits.

"...and so I'm taking Mettaton out tonight to celebrate his award nomination!"

….except that.

Sans schooled his features into something resembling neutrality. "That's...really great, Paps," he replied. "Really." He walked into the kitchen to make some coffee. "...you...even coming home tonight?" Before, he had only assumed Papyrus either picked up later shifts or crashed out at the home of someone who lived closer.

"Probably not," Papyrus replied casually. "It's a big night, and I want it to be special."

Geeze, this is probably what Frisk felt when he told them that he and Toriel were going out on 'special' dates. There's one euphemism he'd never use again. He finished brewing the coffee and poured some out, sitting down on the couch just as Papyrus hurried down the stairs. "...what's up?"

"I have one last errand to take care of!" Papyrus replied, getting his keys. "Mettaton's on his way here, could you keep him company until I get back? Thanks!" He hurried out the door, totally missing the expression of near-horror on Sans's face.

Sans wasn't aware that his hands were shaking until he almost spilled his coffee in his lap. He put the mug down, groaning as he rubbed his face. Oh, this was just brilliant. As if that party wasn't awkward enough without having to face that smug robot again, and this time WITHOUT a buffer. Maybe if he just let him in and holed up in his room until Papyrus came back...

The sound of the door being knocked jerked him out of his musings. Wow, just how long was he internally ranting to himself? He sighed, standing and walking over to the door, opening it, showing that it was just who he dreaded.

Mettaton blinked down at him. "Oh. Hello, Sans." His tone suggested he was fighting to attempt civility just as much as Sans was. "Is Papyrus here?"

Sans's jaw tightened for a moment. "No, he had to run out," he said, pausing before stepping aside. "...he said you could come in and wait." Mettaton stepped in past him and sat down on the couch quietly. There. He did the civil thing. Now if he could just retreat to his room before anything else happened—

"Sans, why do you hate me?"

His head jerked up, staring at Mettaton. The robot stared back, eyes hard and narrowed. The silence was tense and deafening for a moment before Sans shut the door.

"...What are you talking about?"

Mettaton scoffed, crossing his arms and legs. "I'm tired of this, Sans," he said. "I'm tired of having to walk on eggshells around you and pretending that I don't have a problem with you for Papyrus's sake. So I want to know once and for all. Why do you hate me?" He flexed his fingers into his arms. "Just tell me."

Sans felt like a deer caught in the headlights, his soul fluttering like a panicked heartbeat. Having the succinct question just put out there made him really stop and think. 'Hate' was...a pretty strong word to use for his feelings about Mettaton. He wouldn't say he HATED Mettaton, no...but...

"I don't hate you..."

"Don't sugarcoat it, Sans." Mettaton's eyes sharpened. "You've been antagonistic toward me since day effing one of dating Papyrus. So I want to know once and for all, what EXACTLY is your problem with me? WHY do you hate me? WHY?"

"WHAT DO YOU SEE IN HIM!?"

There was another long moment of silence as the two glowered at each other. Sans seemed to realizes that he had actually responded, feeling his face heat up with chagrin. "I...I didn't mean..." He rubbed his arm, scowling. "...no...I DID mean it." His jaw tightened in resolution. "I know what I see in Papyrus! He's the greatest person I know, and the greatest brother I could ever dream of having!" He stalked over to Mettaton, looming over him with a cold, protective aura.

"I've practically raised him myself since we were kids, Mettaton! You couldn't imagine the things I would have done—the things I DID do—to keep him safe and happy and well-fed so he wouldn't want for ANYTHING!" Oh no, no, he was NOT going to start crying, not now! "He's the purest soul I've ever encountered in the whole damn Underground, and still, sometimes, some people would find a reason to hurt his feelings or make him cry, just because he's different!

"So when a high-profile, egotistical celebrity who thrives on drama takes an interest in MY bone and marrow, I don't think it's very unreasonable to assume that it's not all in good and wholesome fun!"

Sans was deftly aware that he was shaking so hard his bones were rattling, and his vision was starting to go blue, and forced himself to calm down before he destroyed the entire downstairs. After a few deep breaths, he turned his focus back on Mettaton, and almost jerked back when the robot stood up suddenly to his full six-foot-two height, eyes glowing a blazing pink.

"...Follow me," he said, turning on heel and making his way to the stairs. Sans stared after him for a moment before following slowly in silence until they were both standing outside Papyrus's bedroom door. "...do you want to know what I see in him?" Mettaton said, his voice low and shaky. He didn't wait for Sans's response before opening the door and stepping inside, his arms crossing as he stared around the room.

It hadn't changed much since Papyrus moved Above, but there were a few minor changes. Since getting his driver's license, Papyrus gave his old race car bed to Frisk and got one he could actually fit into. He still kept his action figures—though putting them on display on a shelf instead of out and about—and posters, but that was about it.

"...Just look around carefully, Sans, and tell me what you see," Mettaton said, keeping his arms crossed. Sans sighed and did so, having to look a few times over to notice that Papyrus had kept all of his MTT posters and items from the Underground. This explaination wasn't boding well, and Sans was about to say so when Mettaton spoke again.

"The entertainment industry is different up here than it was Underground," he said, his voice still low and soft. "Yes, I am a jack of all trades when it comes to entertainment, and people appreciate that...but you know what REALLY counts for seventy percent of celebrity talent up here, Sans? Your LOOKS."

He gestured over himself. "It's no secret that up here, I'm considered attractive, by MANY standards, even the seemingly impossible ones. I'm the envy of both men and women, and most of the time, I have more questions asked about my looks than about whatever I happen to be doing job-wise."

Mettaton walked over to a poster of himself from the Underground, in his first body, putting his hand on it. "...did you even notice it, Sans? Even though Papyrus adores me and unabashedly keeps memorabilia of mine...not one of them is of this body I have now. Not one. In fact..." He walked over to the desk and picked up a picture frame, holding it up, showing a picture of him and Papyrus under the mistletoe at last year's Christmas party.

"...this is the ONLY picture of me in THIS body he has in his room." His voice was wavering slightly, a smile curling at his mouth before it dropped again, putting the picture down. "...THAT'S what I see in him, Sans. Someone who loves and appreciates ME, no matter WHAT body I'm in, if I'm even in one at all!" He hugged himself, rubbing his arms.

"Heh...it...was all over the news, about two years ago, that two-week 'vacation' from the public eye I took? My body malfunctioned, and I had to wait for Alphys to have free time to fix it...that...took awhile." He let out a breath of laughter. "...Papyrus was with me the entire time, not changing his routine with me a bit as I waited. It was...almost surreal...being treated like a person with a soul instead of...public property..." He smiled again. "What ISN'T there to love about someone like that?"

Sans stood there quietly, feeling a bit stung by Mettaton's proclamation and the raw conviction behind it. It was something very personal, to be hearing someone tell him all the reasons why Papyrus was the best person ever, and he could find no fault in Mettaton's words. Sans could smell a bullshitter a mile away, and he found not a spark of untruth or exaggeration.

Mettaton was looking at the photo frame on Papyrus's desk again with a fondness Sans could FEEL, and he felt a paradigm shift take place, his overprotective mist settling into a more lucid realization and acceptance.

While always thinking the best of everyone, Papyrus wouldn't stay in a two-year relationship if he wasn't truly and utterly happy with it. And he had good friends who wouldn't let Mettaton hurt him no matter what. It was obvious too that Mettaton absolutely adored Papyrus...

….well damn, what even was Sans so worried about?

As a motion of finality, Sans walked in front of Mettaton, staring up at him. "...Look me in the eye and tell me you'll take care of him, and never hurt him," he said firmly, his left eye glowing a bright blue. Unperturbed, Mettaton stared back.

"I will take care of him, and never hurt him," he stated back. "You have my word on that, Sans."

Sans nodded, the glow in his eye fading. "Alright," he said, taking a step back. "...alright," he repeated, this time mostly to himself. Mettaton sighed, smiling a little as he put his hand on Sans's shoulder.

"Sans, you should also know that I'M not an idiot," he said, his expression humorous and a little wary. "...I'm more than aware of your protective capabilities should anything happen to him. But I don't want any bad blood—so to speak—between us hurting Papyrus either...so...maybe we could work on really being friends?"

Sans was quiet for a moment before sighing, giving Mettaton a smile in return. "You're just lucky you're so damn likable," he retorted. "Fine. We'll work on being friends. For Papyrus."

"For Papyrus." Mettaton beamed, heading for the door. "...if you ever want to...talk about things you're not comfortable talking to him about...I'll tell you." Sans coughed to cover a choked breath, his cheeks tinged blue.

"Ugh, please, for the sake of my virgin ears, spare me," he replied. "It's bad enough KNOWING my little brother has a sex life, I DON'T need details."

"Mmm. Pity that. Then again, he has Undyne to exchange tips with, so I suppose you're not missing out on much."

Sans blushed harder. "Not listening!"

"His enthusiasm isn't restricted to the kitchen, you know."

"I will end you."

"Although he wonders if he's 'as virile as his knowledgeable big brother'..."

"They'll never find your body."

* * *

 

It seemed to make Papyrus's whole night coming back and finding Sans and Mettaton having small talk in the living room. He promised Sans another bros day out sometime soon, gave Dogamy and Dogarossa a run for their money in nuzzling prowess, and escorted Mettaton out to his car for their date.

Sans sat back with a sigh, feeling as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He'd finally had his worries assuaged, and felt a new friendship be planted. Yeah, things were looking up...

He stood up to put his dishes away, pausing when he saw a piece of paper on the ground by the door. Papyrus must've dropped it when he was changing out his jackets. He walked over and picked it up, finding it to be a receipt.

….for a diamond ring from the jeweler's.

**MEGALOVANIA INTENSIFIES.**


End file.
